CCC Welcomes Swedish Proposal to Lower Alcohol Purchase Age to 18
Brussels, 8 June 2026 – The Consumer Choice Center (CCC) welcomes the proposal by Sweden’s Moderate Party to lower the age for purchasing alcoholic beverages below 22 percent alcohol by volume from 20 to 18 years. The proposal would mean that Swedes’ right to buy alcohol will fall in line with other rights and responsibilities already granted to legal adults.
Zoltán Kész, Government Affairs Manager at the Consumer Choice Center, stated:
“In Sweden, you can do many things when you turn 18, like voting and getting a driver’s license. Also, young adults can serve in the military and sign contracts at the age of 18. It is difficult to justify having a separate age limit of 20 for retail purchases.”
The proposed reform would preserve important safeguards by limiting purchases by 18- and 19-year-olds to beverages containing no more than 22 percent alcohol, while maintaining stricter rules for spirits. The rules are very similar in neighboring Nordic countries and clearly show that consumer freedom and responsible regulation can coexist.
It should also be noted that alcohol consumption among young people has declined significantly over time, which contradicts arguments that broader restrictions are necessary for all young adults. Supporters of the proposal have long argued that the present system can push some consumers toward unregulated or illicit sources, as has historically happened during periods of prohibition.
“Public policy should reflect reality. Today’s young adults are showing greater responsibility, and the law should recognize that reality rather than treating legal adults as children,” Kész concluded. “This proposal represents a sensible, evidence-based step toward a more consistent and consumer-friendly alcohol policy.”
The Consumer Choice Center encourages policymakers across the political spectrum to engage constructively with the proposal and to focus on outcomes rather than outdated assumptions.